Royce Hamm calls Texas his home
Houston, TX
While Shaka Smart is prepping to coach the USA U18 team in Chile come mid-July, the second year head man in Austin found himself an ideal, stretch 4-man that oozes with competitive juices and upside. Royce Hamm, a 6-foot-8 forward from Aldine Davis High School, made it official in giving his verbal commitment to Texas on Friday.
It has been a good few days for the Nike Pro Skills bunch as Mitchell Robinson, a top-15 big man for the squad, came off the board earlier in the week by surprising some by committing to Western Kentucky. His teammate, Royce Hamm, the number-122 ranked junior prospect, is now a committed man as he will head off to the University of Texas next fall.
Hamm’s numbers on the Nike EYBL circuit won’t immediately jump out, though it is more about the versatility and upside that the rising senior brings to the floor that stands out most. Averaging over 10 points and six rebounds per contest, Hamm has played with a much better motor this spring. He is engaged on the glass but is still capable of stretching out the defense with the 3-point jumper, an asset of his that makes him much more valuable in opening up driving lanes for his teammates as he fits the mold of the new era power forward.
The in-state target for the Longhorns has been on campus numerous times in recent months and the chance to play for the home state program was too much to deny. However, it was another asset of the program that led to his commitment. “It was really the relationship that I had with the coaching staff,” Hamm told HoopSeen.
Chances are that the Big 12 bunch could lose incoming big man Jarrett Allen after his inaugural season on campus, yet the fact that Shaka Smart and his staff continue to lock down the best talent from within the state gives cause for optimism for UT fans. Expect for the Longhorns to continue to pursue some of the very best that there is nationally while they look to be in the driver’s seat for top-100 guard Matt Coleman.
Whether Allen and others leave next spring, Hamm should bring immediate energy, versatility, and contributions across the board to Texas for the years ahead.
